‘Fall Back’ while stepping up disaster readiness by using these tips from FEMA

On Sunday, Nov. 1, Daylight Saving Time ends and clocks are set back an hour. Take advantage of extra sleep, then take a few simple steps suggested by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to make your home more disaster-resilient:

Verify that your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors work. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for testing the equipment to ensure they are working. Invest in new detectors if they’re near or past the manufacturer’s recommended replacement age.

Have a professional inspect the chimney and any fuel-burning heating equipment (fireplaces, furnaces, water heaters, wood stoves, coal stoves, space heaters and portable heaters) in your home to verify everything is working properly.

If you’re using a fireplace, space heater or wood stove, make sure that anything flammable is at least three feet away. Space heaters are particularly dangerous if used improperly. Make sure to use heaters that have the label of a recognized testing laboratory and always operate according to the manufacturer’s guidelines.

Winterize your home to extend the life of your fuel supply by insulating walls and attics, caulking and weather-stripping doors and windows, and installing storm windows or covering windows with plastic. Insulating pipes will help prevent them from freezing.

Find more information and tips to better prepare your home for the winter at www.ready.gov/winter and www.usfa.fema.gov.